Officer, inmate treated at hospital after Iredell jail altercation

A detention officer and an inmate were hospitalized Tuesday evening following a violent clash at the Iredell County jail, authorities said.

Sheriff Darren Campbell said the altercation involved about five or six inmates who will face charges. Deputies are working to review video footage of the incident.

Campbell said that around 8 p.m. one inmate in a holding pod that housed around 25 to 30 inmates stuck an officer, and the two began to struggle.

The officer called for assistance and for about 10 minutes some of the inmates continued to fight the officers, Campbell said. Officers ended the conflict by deploying nonlethal chemical munitions similar to pepper spray.

Campbell said officers never lost control of the pod area and that no inmates breached the pod.

Afterward, the jail was placed in lockdown. Inmate visitation, which was underway, was canceled. Surrounding law enforcement agencies including the Statesville and Troutman police departments and the N.C. Highway Patrol, responded to the scene.

The jail was still in lockdown after 10 p.m.

One officer and one inmate were transported to a hospital. Others were treated on scene for minor injuries.

The names of those involved were not released.

"The people who work here did exactly what the were supposed to," Campbell said. "It could have been a lot worse."

Three weeks ago a similar incident occurred at the detention center, officials said.

In that incident, four inmates were arrested, including two who were in jail on murder charges. The inmates were also housed in a large holding pod and started a fight with officers, officials said.

Campbell believes that his office will be able to prevent these types of incidents when the Iredell County Detention Center expansion is completed next year.

The new building will hold two inmates in a single cell instead of dozens in a one pod. That will prevent inmates from ganging up on officers, Campbell said.